80th Birthday Blow Out

Today we went to Vidalia to my Grandma's Surprise 80th Birthday Party. It was a joint effort with our family in Savannah and our family in Vidalia. My Grandma was surprised and I think she felt special having her birthday remembered. (Her actual birthday is tomorrow the 12th along with Curt's birthday as well) It was nice having everyone all together. It was also a little sad to know that Lucas won't really know his Great-Grandparents.

Growing up I LOVED going to my Grandparents house. It was my absolute favorite place in the world. I was an army brat and until the 4th Grade we moved every 3 years so I had to get used to a new place but I always took comfort in knowing that they stayed in the same place. We always had a home to go to. I looked forward to the end of school because it meant summers in Vidalia.

My Grandparents' house didn't have a lot of toys but we had PLENTY to do and explore outside. We were never bored. Also my cousin Eric lived next door (well next door in the country) so I always had some one to get in trouble with. I lived to go horseback riding and run around barefoot and go fishing and camping. We would go to the library every week and get arm fulls of books. I got to feed cows and goats. We had a swimming pool made out of a metal tub. We climbed bales of hay and jumped from one to another. We could always find something to do. When I turned 16 and could drive I would take my friends for road trips and we would spend the weekend at my Grandparents' house. I felt so grown up making the almost two hour drive without any adult supervision.

My Grandpa died the weekend before my senior year of high school started. I remember missing the first few days of school and sleeping curled up next to her. For the longest time she couldn't bare to sleep alone. I know one day she will leave us to and I know it will be hard because she has been my safe place for so long.

I found this quote last night and it made me smile:

The history of our Grandparents is remembered not with rose petals but in the laughter and tears of their children and their children's children. It is into us that the lives of grandparents have gone. It is in us that their history becomes a future. - Charles and Ann Morse.